Three suspects captured after three-hour firefight in Jordan

Jordanian security forces arrested three men following a three-hour gun battle in the village of al-Jadeeda. The suspects were hiding in an abandoned house and resisted capture, resulting in injuries for all three. This operation concludes the initial manhunt for the individuals responsible for the deadly attack on a Greek Orthodox church earlier this week.

The attack took place on Friday in Hamoud, a village in the Karak governorate. Armed men stormed the church compound during a funeral procession. At least eight people were killed and 34 others were wounded in the incident. Karak is located approximately 120 kilometers southwest of the capital, Amman.

Interior Minister Mazin al-Farrayeh announced the arrests on Monday. He stated that all three suspects are Jordanians and members of the same family. The group includes two brothers. A senior security official confirmed that authorities had not found ties between the suspects and other armed groups.

The suspects refused to surrender when security forces arrived at their hideout. They opened fire on the officers, who returned the attack. The shootout lasted about three hours. Al-Farrayeh noted that the suspects sustained severe injuries during the confrontation. One of them was critically hurt.

Security forces recovered firearms and ammunition from the abandoned house in al-Jadeeda. The village is a six-minute drive from Hamoud, where the church is located. The Public Security Directorate said the scope of the search was expanded after many locations were raided. Forces eventually surrounded the suspects in the final operation.

Al-Farrayeh described the attackers as extremist terrorists with no relationship to humanity. He emphasized that investigations into the attack are ongoing. The minister stated that everyone involved in the act will be taken to justice. He urged citizens to remain calm and reject violence.

King Abdullah II ordered security forces to respond to the attack with an iron fist. He met with the victims and addressed the National Security Council on Saturday. The king called the security and safety of Jordanians a red line. He promised that the hand of justice would reach every terrorist.

Prime Minister Jafar Hassan declared three days of national mourning starting on Friday. Flags were flown at half-mast over government and public institutions. Eight victims were buried in Karak on Sunday in a funeral that drew a large crowd. Their coffins were draped with Jordanian flags.

Karak is home to a Christian minority community in the Muslim-majority kingdom. Christians make up between 2 percent and 3 percent of the population. The attack on St George’s Church in Hamoud is considered rare in the region. No group has claimed responsibility for the shooting so far.

Social media circulated images of the victims, including Mohammad al-Qasous, a Christian. Video footage of the attack showed three people shooting outside the church and running toward its entrance. Other clips showed attackers firing on a group of men trying to flee the building.